Urban Transportation Center

UTC Fall 2024 Seminar Series

The impact and future of autonomous vehicle technology will be the focus of online presentations this fall.  Note the details below.

September 19: The debut Fall 2024 presentation, “Autonomous Vehicle Deployment in Arizona,” addressed the history and introduction of autonomous vehicles in Arizona and why the state is a prime location for AV testing. Featured speaker Amanda Kindle,  Stakeholder Relations Manager with ADOT/MVD, discussed current AV operations and regulations.  Visit this link to access a Box folder with the A/V recording, audio only, Chat comments and PowerPoint presentation.

October 17:  The second presentation will feature a comprehensive look at the transit last-mile connectivity problem. Our speaker is Dr. Alireza Khani, Associate Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geo-Engineering at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.  He will present insight on a recent study involving employing autonomous vehicle bus service to address last mile issues related to the Miller Hall Mall in Duluth.  Registration is open for “Bridging the Gap: Addressing the Last-Mile Problem with AMoD.” 

November 14: And, plans are underway to host a presentation on the role of AV in middle mile logistics, the part of a supply chain that moves goods from the port to the warehouse or distribution center.  Watch this space for an update.

UTC Spring 2024 Seminar Series

The outlook for paratransit services was the focus of UTC Seminar Series online presentations during the spring 2024 semester. Here are some details:

February 22: The debut UTC Seminar Series presentation for Spring 2024 focused on a wide range of issues and developments involving paratransit services across metropolitan Chicago.  Speakers from the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) tackled funding, right-of-way challenges, reduced fare programs, ADA paratransit eligibility and more.  We recorded the presentation, “The Outlook for Paratransit Across Metropolitan Chicago in 2024.”  Visit this link to access a Box folder with the zoom recording, audio only recording, Chat comments, and three presentations.

March 21: The second UTC Seminar Series presentation for Spring 2024 focused on the growth of paratransit services in Northeastern Illinois and a statewide initiative to provide paratransit vehicles to transit providers and non-profit organizations.  Featured speakers were Pace Suburban Bus  Executive Director Melinda Metzger and Zoe Keller, Illinois Department of Transportation Section Chief, Office of Intermodal Project Implementation.  Miss “The Evolution of Pace Paratransit and IDOT Consolidated Vehicle Procurement Program?” Visit this link to access a Box folder with the zoom recording, audio only recording, Chat comments and PowerPoint decks.

April 11: The final talk, “Hailing Uber While Wheeling,” featured Dr. Mahtot Gebresselassie, Assistant Professor at York University in Toronto.  The focus was on a recent study, “Wheelchair Users’ Perspective on Transportation Service Hailed Through Uber and Lyft Apps.” All are invited to visit this link to access a Box folder with the zoom recording, audio only recording, Chat comments and the PowerPoint presentation.